Accessible, Affordable, Integrated
Accessible Housing Austin! (AHA!) believes that we all deserve to live in homes that are not only safe and decent but that allow us to exercise our rights to independence and dignity, that we can afford, and that allow ourselves and our families to participate in our neighborhoods. For AHA!, a good home is supported by three pillars: Accessibility, Affordability, and Integration. For that reason, all of our homes are independent living units.
Accessible housing is useful to, and usable by, people with disabilities. When AHA! rehabilitates a housing unit, anything we change is made accessible. In addition, AHA! provides reasonable accommodations for our tenants. This means that a tenant can request a change that goes a bit beyond the standard requirements but will improve the usability of the home. Examples of reasonable accommodations include a visual doorbell for someone with a hearing impairment, or moving a person’s mailbox to the lowest level so it is within reach of a person in a wheelchair.
Our houses include the following features that allow our tenants to live comfortably and independently in their own homes:[/full_width]
- Ramps
- Wide doorways
- Levered door handles
- Hardwood, tiled or laminate flooring
- Roll-under sinks
- Lowered counter-tops
- Smoke detectors for people with hearing and visual impairments as-needed
- Roll-in showers where possible
Any construction completed by AHA! complies with federal, state and local access laws and guidelines. Local and national guidelines include the Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards (UFAS), the Texas Accessibility Standards, the Fair Housing Accessibility Guidelines, and the Austin Visitability Ordinance. The laws that cover access in housing are Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, The Fair Housing Act Amendments of 1988, the Austin Visitability Ordinance, and the Austin Building Code.
Affordability = Security and Stability
When we say affordable, we mean housing that is affordable to persons on disability incomes, which can be as low as 11% of the Median Family Income (MFI) for the Austin-Round Rock Metro area. We try to keep our rents as low as possible, so tenants aren’t spending all of their money on housing, but still have a quality place to live. This is sometimes referred to as housing that is deeply affordable. Our housing alleviates the negative effects of poverty and removes uncertainty. AHA! accepts rental assistance vouchers (Housing Choice, Tenant-Based Rental Assistance, etc).
We also reduce the burden of utility costs by making our houses as energy efficient as possible.
We serve individuals and families with disabilities under 50% of Austin’s Median Family Income. Please note that we prioritize households needing the accessibility modifications that a given available unit provides.
Our income guidelines for 2021 are below.
| HOUSEHOLD SIZE | MAX ANNUAL INCOME | MAX MONTHLY INCOME |
|---|---|---|
| One Person | $34,650 | $2,887 |
| Two People | $39,600 | $3,300 |
| Three People | $44,550 | $3,712 |
| Four People | $49,450 | $4,120 |
| Five People | $53,450 | $4,454 |
| Six People | $57,400 | $4,783 |
Integration = Participation in Community
Integrated housing does not segregate people with disabilities from non-disabled people. In addition, integrated housing includes people from different income levels. AHA! strives to create communities where all people are welcome and included.
In integrated multifamily housing, such as the AHA! at Briarcliff apartments, no more than one-quarter, (25%), of the units can be designated for people with disabilities. However, even if those units are fully occupied by people with disabilities, we cannot and would not turn people away because they have a disability.
AHA!’s scattered-site (single family and duplex) housing allows our tenants be part of a neighborhood. Living in higher opportunity neighborhoods, they have access to shopping and public transportation; adults are close to community college, and children are close to good schools. Our tenants actively participate in the life of the community: their children make friends with other children, and their families enjoy neighborhood block parties.
We also believe services and supports, so vital to so many people with disabilities, are best not tied to housing. We are strong supporters of community services and support systems, when needed. However, when your landlord is also your service provider, or your service provider is also your landlord, that person or entity winds up with too much control over your life and your options.
Construction of the AHA! at Briarcliff Apartments
